CA23131 - ISO compatible, efficient and reproducible protocols/equipment for mICro-nanoPLASTIC detection through machine-learning (ICPLASTIC)

Within the EC’s initiative of “Measures aiming to reduce the presence in the environment of unintentionally released microplastics from tyres, textiles and plastic pellets” knowledge gaps for micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) in environmental, drinking and bottled water have been acknowledged for correction including: Risks and occurrence; harmonised methods for sampling, processing, data analysis and reporting. Imminent new ISO standards for the sampling of microplastics in water and the spectroscopic methods for their analysis, and environmental legislation for microplastics in water, that began with the EU’s ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’ of 2021, were joined in 2022 by a standard for microplastics in drinking water in the state of California.

The ‘ISO compatible, efficient and reproducible protocols/equipment for mICro-nanoPLASTIC detection through machine-learning’ (ICPLASTIC) Action will create a broad and skilled transdisciplinary network of instrument/equipment makers, their end-users and relevant academics/technologists. It will, through scientific discussion and elaboration, converge on the necessary key parameters (and their value ranges) for user and design specifications of protocols and equipment that can support the aforementioned standards and legislation, and produce a risk analysis.

ICPLASTIC’s impacts will benefit the scientific community, economy and all European citizens: (1) Marketed equipment for MNP sampling, sample preparation and analysis, compatible with ISO standards and the ICPLASTIC risk analysis; (2) Environmental, drinking and bottled water legislation introduced, compatible with ISO, the ICPLASTIC risk analysis and the aforementioned equipment; (3) Dissemination of information from non-ITCs to ITCs, and from senior to junior researchers, for regional MNP monitoring and legislation, and career development.